Insulator and protector for electric conductors.



PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

T. O. GOPPING. INSULATOR AND PROTECTOR FOR ELECTRIC GONDUOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. 1906.

INVENTOR .5'0277a 8 v 00 0 0211,

W/TNESS A TTORNE Y8 THOMAS OARY'GOPPING, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

INSULATOR AND PROTECTOR FOR ELECTRIC CONDUGTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907 Application filed January 24. 1906. Serial No. 297,586.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CARY Cor- PING, a citizen of the United States, and

resident of Houston, in the county of Harris.

and State of Texas, have made an Improved Insulator and Protector for Electric Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved casing for electric wires or conductors, which is adapted to insulate them from trees, posts, or other objects, and to protect them from injury by contact, abrasion, or wear.

The invention is embodied in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter described, and shown in accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved insulator and protector, an electric conductor being shown arranged therein as in use. v Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the longitudinal halves of the insulator. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 83 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the halves of an insulator separated from each other. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the separable halves of a filling of material adapted to absorb water,

the same being in practice arranged as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a side of one end of my improved insulator, showing the means for securing the halves or other sections together.

In Figs. 1 to 4, 1 and 1' indicate the halves or hollowsections composing the casing or body of the insulator. One edge of each of these parts 1, 1", is provided withla longitudinal groove 2, and the opposite edge with a longitudinal rib or tonon 2 whereby the halves or sections 1., 1, are adapted to fit and lock together when one is placed upon the other as in Figs. 1 and 3. Thus a cylindrical tube is formed within which an electric wire or conductor may be inclosed. For supporting such wire or conductor within the casing or insulator, I provide each of the longitudinal halves or sections 1, 1, with transverse bridges or partitions 3, the same being practically semi-circular and having a notch 4 in the inner edge, for receiving a conductor X. As indicated in Fig. 1, the several bridges or partitions 3 are alternated or staggered so that each is opposite a space that intervenes two adjacent bridges on the opposite side. The two parts 1, 1, of the casing or body of the insulatorinay be secured together by various means. In Fig. 6 ametal band. 5 is passed along the casing and its ends bolted or riveted together; or a series of wires 6 may be passed around the casing and their ends twisted together; or a wire 7 may be wound spirally around the casing as indicated. The end of the casing is provided with a metal cap 8see Figs. 1 and 6. Adjacent thereto is located a plug or block 9 made in part of material adapted to absorb water. It is made of rubber and cotton, the layer of cotton being interior and thicker at the inner end. This plug is made in halves or other longitudinal sections, as indicated in Fig. 5, so that an electric wire or conductor may be readily placed therein. The cotton will readily take up water which may run along the electric line, and will also protect the latter from the weather, that is to say, from admission of moisture which may be held in the atmosphere.

It will be seen that by providing each of the halves or sections 1, 1 with a groove on one side and a tenon on the other, they are made universally applicable to each other; or, in other words, each is adapted to fit any other, which would not be the case if one half or section were provided with grooves and the other with tenons. For the purpose of forming a water-tight closure, a suitable.

cement or cotton wicking, or both are applied to the joints formed by the grooves and tenons; and it is to be understood that fastening means, say such as illustrated in Fig. 6, are to be applied after the cement or wicking has been thus applied.

It will be further understood that the tubes thus formed, will be made in practice of dlfferent sizes or diameters, and of various lengths, according to conditions of use. .I do

not restrict myself to the number of longitudinal sections of which the tube may be composed, although it is preferable to construct it in halves as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. An improved insulator and protector for electric conductors, comprising longitudinal sections each having its respective edges provided with.a longitudinal groove and rib, and a series of notched transverse supports for a conductor, the said supports being arranged staggered and means for securing the sections firmly together, substantially as described.

2 same; i

2. The improved insulator and protector one end of the insulator, substantially as de for electric conductors comprising longituscribed. dinal sections, which are separable from each other and provided with transverse supgorts 5 for a conductor, and a plug of material a apt- Witnesses:

ed to absorb moisture, the same being made -L. E. MILLER, in separable sections and located adj alcent to W. W. REED.

THOMAS CARY COPPING. 

